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(No Model.)

F.J.BAL L. SHEET STRAIGHTBNER FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 306,459. Patented Oct. 14, 1884.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Phom-Llmu n ner. Wnihmgmn. 0.6.

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FRANK J. BALL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SH EET -STRAEGHTENER FOR PRINTHNG-PRESSESE SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 306,459, dated October 14, 188%.

Application filed April 18, ISEB. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. BALL, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in SheetStraighteners forPrinting- Presses, of which the following is a specification. Y

The object of my invention is to provide an improved automatic device tobe used in connection with the delivery portion of a printing-press, forso adjusting in the delivery the In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1represents a perspective view of my improved device in working positionupon the deliverytable of a printing-press, and operated by connectionfrom the oscillating fly-shaft. Fig. 2 isaplan view of the same. Figs. 3and etare respective plan and elevational views of a means for guidingand adjusting the device to move always in line with the diagonal of thesheet regardless of the proportion between length and breadth of thelatter, and Fig. 5 is a view explanatory of the said diagonal adjustment.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

A is the fly of a printing-press, and B the delivery-table. Upon thedelivery-table are secured an angular cleat, Z), and lateral cleats 1),against which the papers, sheet after sheet, are pushed up so as to gettheir edges even. Instead of cleats b 1), pins or other projections maybe used to act as stops for the said purpose.

In order to provide a simple means of doing this work automatically, Iattach to the fly -shaft or form upon the hub of the flycrank a,oppositely to the said crank,another crank, a, and connect the same by asuitable cord, D, (guided through a pulley or staple, cl, on the table13,) to a block, 0, made in the shape of an ordinary right angle, andhaving on the inside vertical slats or strips 0, which may be made ofany length corresponding to the desired height of the pile of paper.

To the outside of the ends of the angular block .0, I secure arms 0,having other arms, 0 projecting inward from their outer ends in adirection parallel with the diagonal of the sheet in the line of motionof the straightener or adjuster G, which arms 0 0 form together onesolid piece or bracket.

At the end of each arm 0 is a pin, a, and in a line drawn from the saidpin parallel with the aforesaid diagonal is another pin, 6, which issecured upon the table B. A spiral spring, E, is fastened with its endsto the aforesaid pins 6 e, and tends to draw the edges always toward thecleat b.

In order that the said adjuster will not be drawn any farther than isneeded for the size of the sheet,the ends of the arms 0 are forked,shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to embrace and stop against the pin 6.

The operation will be understood with a glance at Fig. 1. \Vhen the flydescends to deliver the sheet F on the table B,the crank a pulls theadjuster O away from the pile suffieiently so as not to interfereprematurely with the edge of the just delivered sheet,and when the flyagain rises the springs E draw the adjuster 0 against the outer cornerof the just delivered sheet, pushing it until its diagonallyoppositecorner comes in contact with the cleat b and its other edges with thecleats I), thus evening the edges of the pile by successively eveningthe edges of each sheet delivered 'with the edges of the preceding onedelivered.

If, after finishing a certain amount of work, an order is received forwhich paper is needed varying greatly in difference between length andbreadth to the order of those just finished, it is evident that theposition of the adjuster O on the table B may very easily be changedto'suit a new size, the said change in fact being made so easily that itis hardly necessary to use any more complex construction than the simpledeviceshown in Figs. 1 and 2. I have, however, shown in Figs. 3 and4aspecial mode of adjusting the position of the straightener to suitsheets of paper of various proportions.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be easily understood that the bestdirection in which to adjust the motion, whether the sheet has the shapeof the square F or the rectangles Fl is in the line of the diagonalending in the inner angle of the cleat b. In order to adjust it easilyto Work in said diagonal direction, Iattach upon or to the table 13 acurved segment, I, and fit to slide in a groove in the said segment ablock, H, securable in the said groove at any position by a small screw,h. The block His provided in its turn with ways or a grooveradiallytransverse to the curved segment I, and in thelatter groove isfitted a slide, G, to whose inner end is pivoted by a lug, g, andsecurable by a screw, 9, the aforesaid angle-block 0, so that by thesaid screw 9 the sides of the angle-block 0 may easily be adjustedparallel to the adjacent edges of the sheet, after first adjusting theguideblock H on the segment I in position to make the slide G move inline with the diagonal of the sheet.

To a cross-piece upon the guide-block H, over the slide G, I attach theaforesaid pine, to which one end of the spring E is attached, and alittle higher up on the said pin I pivot the pulley d, on which the cordD runs. The pin 0, to which the other end of the spring E is attached,Ifasten upon the slide G near its outer end. The slide being guided inthe block.

, H, it is only necessary to use one spring E, in-

stead of the two shown in Fig. l. The cord D is attached to the cornerof the angle-block O, as before.

It is evident that the outer end of the cord D, instead of being securedto the crank a of the fly-shaft, may be connected to any other kind ofmachinery upon or outside of the press, so long as its movement is timedto withdraw the adjuster O in the delivery of the sheet of paper, andcause it to move forward immediately after said delivery.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In combination with the delivery-table B, providedwith stop-cleats b b, or their described equivalents, the adjuster G,constructed to embrace the two sides of the angle of the sheetdiagonally opposite to the cleat b, and means, substantially asdescribed, for withdrawing the said adjuster in the delivery of thesheet, and moving it forward immediately after said delivery,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In combination with the delivery-table B, having stops b b, thegrooved segment I, the guide-block H, adjustable on the said segment,the slideG, the adjuster 0, adjustable on the said slide, the spring E,attached with one end to the slide G and with the other to astationarypoint, e, and means, substantially as described, for withdrawingtheadjuster 0 in the delivery of the sheet, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinventionI have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of April, 1883.

FRANK J. BALL. Witnesses:

R0131. W. MATTHEws, EDUARD ARFETS.

